The Common Denominator

In the company of friends, 8 x 24, 2007 copyright Mary Beth Shaw

I frequently crack jokes about my abstract work, how much I struggle over it - that a piece isn't finished until I've bled on it. Well, I really did this week. Bled on a piece, that is.

Yep, I stabbed my finger a few days ago with a cooking implement (that will teach me to mess around with kitchen tools!). This stupid fork/tong thingy chunked out the index finger on my dominant hand and it is taking forever to heal, probably because I keep knocking my finger into stuff and making it bleed. Hence the painting injury.

I really like this piece though, despite the blood it drew. It's for the Jacoby show and probably one of my faves. For some reason this painting makes me happy. I am finally finished with all of them - twenty two paintings total, ranging in size from 8x8 to 36x24. I deliver them tomorrow.

If you live in St. Louis or the surrounding area, come see the Abstractions exhibit which opens on November 16th with a reception from 5-8pm. Jacoby Arts Center is located at 627 Broadway, in Alton, IL. I will be giving a gallery talk on December 2nd at 2PM. And the show will be there until January 7th, if you can't make either of these dates.